Getting loft insulation is at the top of my to-do list

Well Jenny insulation can be produced from all kinds of stuff and on the face of it, it seems a good idea to recycle waste materials but one must keep an eye on the economics and the final over energy and Co2 impact.
Cheapo nasty irritating insulation is made by recycling waste glass, it works.
Better stuff is made from rockwool, it works too but irritates far less.
Both are produced economically. They are not totally energy and Co2 free in thier manufacture but you normally only need the loft insulating once (if you do it right, that is 270mm plus).
Then there are things like recyled cloths, paper, substandard sheeps wool etc. etc.
They all work because insulation is basically about trapping air. But is the processing cost eco friendly? These things have to be made rot and fire proof, they have to be non-toxic and they have to be processed into a user friendly medium. The loose stuff can be real trouble. A roof needs to breath so loose lay on a windy day in a very beathable loft can end up all over the place inside and out.
No doubt some “alternative” waste products will be eco freindly and fit for purpose, but we know already the existing conventional materials are, and they’re cheap..

It’s a bit like electric transport. Sounds great, eco friendly no Co2 etc. But not if an ugly coal fired power station is making the electricity?

i dont care about your loft i just want more info on loft insulation could you do that and also answer these questions
-why loft insulation is needed
-how it reduces heat loss
-how the thickness of the loft insulation affects heat loss

Well Dave, if you have thermostatically controlled heating the house won’t feel any different because soon as you reach the set temperature the heating goes off. But because you are better insulated you should be buying less gas, or whatever, to maintain that set temperature.
Check you bills (units rather than price, price seems to be forever going up)
As for the tanks in the loft, you realise you’re supposed to not insulate beneath them? That way some of the warmth in the house can escape through the ceiling to prevent any water freezing in the tank, but do remember to insulate all the pipework, both hot and cold.
If you do this there will be no need to leave the hatch open, or therfore to have that arctic cold air downward blast through the hatch undoing all your good insulating work
You can be both warm and dry, if you do it right.

So Alan you are suggesting that insulating your loft has increased your energy bills because summer heat is not warming the fabric of your house?
Are you suggesting that Winter heat positive gain through insulation is less than Summer heat negative gain?
If your house feels cooler in the summer try opening a window, let the warmth in that way.

All in all you being an Architect or not don’t think many would agree with your argument.

Chris
If you read my comment again you will see we have to put the heating on in the evening (In June) because its cold – so no point in opening the windows to let heat in then. What I am saying is that we hardly ever had to put the heating on in June before the insulation was increased.
I am talking about Glasgow area -perhaps you live in the South?
Alan

No Alan I think you misunderstand me.
Before you insulated the fabric of your house was warmed during the day, summer daytime temperatures, sunlight etc. This warmth then got released during the evening.
Now you’re insulated not so much daytime warmth is being absorbed by the house so you find on some summer evenings you need some heating on.
However if during the daytime it’s warmer outside than in you might compensate by opening windows to allow the fabric of the house to absorb some of that heat. Just like it did before you insulated.
In the evening you close the windows and benefit from the daytime absorbed warmth, again just like you did before insulating.
But now however because you are better insulated that warmth is retained within the house better.

Hi Sim1234 – I think, if anything, the opposite is true. Having a smart meter would give someone a much more immediate and real indication of how much was being spent on ‘heating the sky’ (I like that phrase =). By getting a detailed breakdown of the energy they’re using, and how much it is costing them on a daily basis, more people might be able to work out the cost-benefit of having insulation. At the moment people know it’ll save them money, but do they really know how much? It’s hard to tell, especially given that tariffs are so complex.

I do think you’re right, though, that people will need more information about energy saving measures. Once they start thinking about energy consumption and considering where best to invest to make their property greener, there’ll be a real call for decent information and advice about how to e.g. insulate your home to get the most for your money.

But the smart meter ‘no selling’ challenge isn’t about preventing people from getting this information – it’s about preventing energy companies from giving you what amounts to a compulsory sales chat during a home visit you may not even want. Energy companies sending you info or leaving a leaflet after your installation? Fine. Companies asking you if you’d like an energy consultation? Fine. Sending salesmen into your house when you’re expecting an installer and making you listen to a spiel you didn’t ask for? Definitely not fine. Given that our research shows 93% of people say they wouldn’t let an energy company salesperson into their home, we think it’s cheeky to send them in without warning customers, or asking for permission.

That’s a bit unfair, Sim – we all have good intentions but not all of us get round to it. I see your point that someone on the energy team is pretty well informed about the benefits of insulation, but the fact remains that we’re all human beings with many different competing pressures.

I also have to disagree on your comment that ‘most consumers will not act on their own initiative.’ At Which? we assume they do, which is why we provide information and advice for people looking for products! I definitely wouldn’t agree that consumers need in-home salespeople to ‘help’ them make the right decision – on the contrary, I think a much more informed and considered opinion is likely to be made by looking at the internet, and independent sources of information. I’d never say that products ‘need to be sold’ to consumers who don’t understand what their benefits might be.

that sounds suspicious.. they probably haven’t provided you with any results as they do not know… unfortunately everything has a problem somewhere.. the only thing i can think of is that your loft was too hot, therefor melting the fabric… you should check some websites out that talk about the potential worries of loft insulation… also… could you e-mail me the pictures, it sounds weird…

and.. a lot of you seem to disagree with factual comments… that tend to make sense… having an opinion is good.. but disagreeing on everyone’s view is a bit biased of your own views…

I don’t think you are correct Peter in blaming the insulation for any overheating problem. In fact if you look at earlier comments you will see someone saying the precise opposite.

The problem I am sure is a lack of ventilation and the serious amount of solar gain from sunshine which has become prevalent with larger and larger windows being fitted. In early spring with my handheld infra-red thermometer [around £14] I have walls inside which the sun has raised to temperatures in the 20’s. Some of my windows are 6X8 feet so very large areas are being heated.

In Australia they understand solar gain very well and market solar defeating blinds. In Europe they use shutters and awnings to prevent heat build-up.

To compound the problem a lot of UK houses are being built to minimise draughts from the building and we as a race are not very good at opening windows in the early morning to get fresh cool air each day into the house. This cooler air and shading rooms with curtains and blinds may make a considerable difference.

Insulation cannot make your house overheat. It’s a physical impossibility – the laws of thermodynamics don’t allow it. All insulation does is reduce heat loss from the house. There are reasons who you might assume the house is overheating, but they’re nothing whatsoever to do with the insulation.

Simple strategy for keeping your house (relatively) cool in very hot weather:

1 Keep the upstairs (and any safe downstairs) windows open overnight.
2. Keep an eye on the inside and outside temperatures. When the temperature outside is within one degree of the inside temperature close all the windows.
3. Work out which area of the house gets the most sunlight and lock that off (if you can) during the hot hours.
4. Open all the windows when the outside temperature drops below the inside.
5. Grab a large bottle of whiskey and lie in the shade outside.

When the house gets too hot in the summer we open some windows. In the Middle East, old houses without air conditioning have a central roof tower that creates a cooling air flow.